Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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1990. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he plans to have an agriculture attaché assigned to the embassy in Singapore. [1899/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department uses workforce planning processes to identify critical resources necessary to formulate long-term strategic policy development to encourage the continuing prosperity of Ireland’s agri-food sector, including the fisheries sector.  Workforce planning is a key tool in enabling my Department to anticipate current and future staffing needs. The Workforce plan aims to ensure that my Department has the right people, with the right levels of talent and skills, in each location and division, doing the right thing at the right time. 

As business needs arise, staff are allocated to support organisational priorities within my Department.  Attaché roles are considered regularly by senior management with a view to optimising trade facilitation arrangements.  The Department currently has attaché currently assigned to the region, based in Tokyo.  While there is no current plan to have an attaché assigned to the embassy in Singapore, overall staffing levels and needs within locations are continually monitored and staff are assigned as business needs dictate.